And suddenly we have spring! Temperatures so high that I had to remove my coat to ride.
I rode all three. Ace was absolutely lovely and I am wondering if his only problem is cold weather. Zippy was like this, very cold backed in winter. It will be interesting to see if Ace is the same if we get any more frosts in the next month or two.
I put out the white boards to make a 20x40 for the first time since the arena was laid. We practised prelim 7 (level 1 for the USA) because, fingers crossed and weather permitting, we will be doing it next Wednesday. He is way off doing Novice yet, which I thought he would be at by now, but who cares, he's still a baby physically because he is such a huge horse. I have plenty of time.
He was a good boy, and tried quite hard for me. He did set on my hands once or twice but I worked out how to free him without having to stop the test (useful in a competition :-) ! ) and the transitions were all in the right place. He kept trying to trot the walks (there are two in P7, unfortunately) , but hopefully with a bit of repetition he will realise where the up transitions are.
I left the boards out for Jazz, fully expecting him to go doolally, and not planning to work at all but just to familiarise him with them. Huh! He hardly even looked - what on earth is going on??? We did canter half pass, flying changes on a straight line, piaffe - oh yes yes yes, he really HAS got it!!!! It's a long way from perfect - too flat, not rythmic - but it is a trot in one place and I am thrilled with the promise of what it will be like. Very interestingly, he learnt it in completely the reverse way from Tetley. Tetley stood still and went up into it. Jazz trots on and comes down into it. Horses for courses, eh?
Jean - any clues on how to teach passage???
Then RadaR. Sigh. Too little exercise, too fit. Sigh. 10 whole minutes to walk without jogging. Sigh. 15 whole minutes to trot without running. Sigh. 15 minutes to canter without bolting. Sigh.
Actually he was great fun, but so forward that I had no option but to circle, circle, circle and circle until he calmed down. I was determined not to pull his mouth, so ten metre circles were the only other option. The moment he was allowed to go straight, or even on a bigger circle, off he went again. He did a really tough session and will be nicely primed for the hunt that really does look as if we will be going to on Saturday. Plllllleeeeeeaaaase!!!!
I'm off outside now to grade the arena.
C.
STOP PRESS
Just checked. Hunt is off. (&*%(*^%^%£()*"^^%!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hunt called off? Bummer!!!
ReplyDeleteWish I did have ideas for passage. I did it on PJ maybe twice with Lockie Richards helping, but I never mastered it. I know there are two basic approaches. One is out of piaffe, where you allow the piaffe to go forward, and the other is out of trot where you kind of super collect while keeping the impulsion.
Had a trainer tell me to put my legs back and kind of lift my seat as well, rather than sitting down.
Wish I could be of more help on this one, but I never quite managed to teach it. I had piaffe with PJ--sort of and some steps on the long lines with Toby, but neither horse got to passage. I think you need to be able to generate a lot of impulsion and then collect it--kind of like holding back an extended trot??
Any prospects of working with a trainer soon? The tempis you can do yourself. Both piaffe and passage will come more quickly with the proper ground person in support.
Just to add...for Ace, this is where an under the breath verbal reminder to walk might help. It's where I might use my "purr." Or, you might massage his wither a little with your fingers as you start the walk each time--some kind of signal to him that you only use for that situation.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if you take a deep breath on the downward and let it out as you start to walk, sometimes that will help the horse settle a little. It's tricky when they are keen to go or a little nervous, so you need to make your body language very relaxed about it instead of getting anxious.
He knows "out" for free walk on a long rein Jean, and since the walk is away from the judge I will probably use it :-)
DeleteC.
Not spring here but after yesterday's winds I am glad for anything but high winds. You know there is no schedule you have to follow for Ace. He is ready when he is ready and it doesn't matter when. When winter goes on and on we sometimes forget that they are much calmer in the summer.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jean about relaxing for the walk. Tetley wants to canter on the center line and if I sit deeper in the saddle and let my body go all relaxed he is much better.
Why was the hunt called off - too warm?
I'm not sure ML. It may be that the grass has grown on with the warmth and the farmers want to put their stock back out, or it may just be too wet underfoot, we have had record levels of rain this winter.
DeleteC